Obamas host the first ever White House poetry slam

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hosted what is being called the first ever White House poetry slam Tuesday night in the East Room of the White House.

The event featured music, poetry, reading and spoken word performances, including appearances by James Earl Jones, who performed Othello, and Esperanza Spalding (shown in the video below).

"We're here to celebrate the power of words and music to help us appreciate beauty and also to understand pain,'' Mr. Obama said. "The president and I are so proud to welcome this group of talented performers," Mrs. Obama added, while urging the crowd to "enjoy, have fun, be loose."

The crowd reportedly included Spike Lee, George Stephanopoulos, and students from local colleges. The  New York Times even reviewed the event in its arts section.